Predictable Pattern

Wison.K, (2002), Bear snores on, N.Y., An imprint of Simon & Shuster Children’s Publishing.

ISBN:0-689-83187-0

Content of the story

It is in wintertime, the story begins in the cold and windy woods.  While a bear snores on in his cave, there comes one little mouse.  He was very cold so he came into bear’s cave and start to light fire.  It starts making a noise, but the bear snores on.  Next, there comes a friend of mouse, a hare.  They start to make popcorn and tea right beside the bear, but the bear snores on.  While they are having fun in the cave, there comes a badger, gopher and mole join, and start to make more noise.  But the bear snores on!  So they started making stew.  As the mouse sprinkles pepper, bear sniffs the pepper, and “Raaaachooo!!!”  That woke him up! The bear finds out that everyone has been having fun without him, so they all decided to have a little party all night.  When the sun is just about to come up, everyone falls asleep, but the bear!

Reason for three to five year olds:

While the bear is sleeping, animals come into his cave. Because he was sleeping, he missed a chance to get to know them.  When he found out that they were all friends beside him, he was sad. However, they all try to include him in the circle of friends.  This message is appropriate for three to five year olds.

Illustration comment:

It is done with watercolour.  It gives very warm and friendly atmosphere.  Although all the animals are in brown, white, grey and black, there is still something bright about the pictures.

Provocation:

Make a cave with carton board, and put a bear there.  When children are there, tell them to be quiet.  As they look inside, they figure out why; the bear is sleeping.

Presentation:

1. Read the book as it is.  When the hare and mouse have tea together, stop reading.  However, without flipping the page, read the next line on the next page.  (Mouse sips wee slurps.  Hare burps big BURPS!  “I wonder what happens to the bear” Then flip the page and read the pattern line, “But the bear snores on.”  Also stop when the bear gets up and looks like he is going to get angry.  This is the perfect place to wonder because he is not actually angry; he just wants to be friends with everyone. Let children use their imagination.

2. Use you tube clip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6lgyHRABcc.
Since a man reads this story, children can experience how the male read the picture book.  The clip is only for the sounds.  A teacher holds the book and as the story goes, the teacher flips pages for children.

3. Use puppets + prop box.  Make paper puppets.  Illustration can be copied from the book.  Use a table and as the teacher tells the story, use puppets.  Bear puppets need to be two kinds: sleeping one and awake one.  When animals have tea or food, put them on the table. For example, when they are having tea, put a teacup and a teapot on the table.  Also when the bear snores, ask children to snore!

Extension:

1. Give children a role, and they can act while teacher read.  Put all the food and drink items (picture cards are ok too, but real things are great) in a basket in the centre of the circle.  The children who plays the bear sleeps on the floor, and every time they hear, “But the bear snores on.” they make a snoring sound.  As the teacher read the book, children act as one of the animals or get the item from the centre basket.  For example, when the teacher read “And everybody clutters” children clutter.  When animals chew, make a chewing sound.  When animals are having tea, children find a right tool from the basket. 

2. After reading the book, wonder with children. “I wonder what the bear did after his friends fell asleep? Now you can be his friend!” Think about possible play they can do with the bear.  And play a gesture game.  First, a teacher shows children the idea.  For example, a teacher starts to jump, but doesn’t say anything.  Children can guess what the teacher is doing by watching the action.  Then do the action with children.  This also can be a great movement activity.

3.  Play a memory game.  Make cards of animals, drink or food that they used in the book.  Put all the cards on the floor and find the matching cards; for example, “the bear” card and “sleeping” card, “the mouse” and “tea cup cards match”, etc.  When children finished picking all the cards, glue them on the wave book and make a big book for the story time!  They have to remember the order the animal appears in the story, too.  * Those picture cards can be coloured by children before gluing onto the book.